1 Corinthians 3:1-4

¹ “And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, ³ for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? ⁴ For when one person says, “I am with Paul,” and another, “I am with Apollos,” are you not ordinary people?”

Verse 1: Paul addresses the Corinthians as brothers and sisters in Christ. However, he expresses his disappointment that he cannot speak to them as mature believers who live by the Spirit. Instead, he sees them as still being worldly and immature in their faith, like infants in Christ. This indicates that they have not fully embraced the new life and identity they have in Christ.

Verse 2: Paul explains that he had to give them basic teachings, like milk, rather than deeper, more mature teachings, like solid food. He did this because they were not yet ready for it. In fact, he emphasizes that even at this point, they are still not ready for the deeper truths of the gospel. This suggests that they have not progressed in their understanding and application of the gospel message.

Verse 3: Paul points out that their behavior is evidence of their worldly mindset. The presence of jealousy and quarreling among them indicates that they are still operating according to the standards of the world, rather than the principles of the Spirit. He challenges them to consider whether their actions align with their identity as new creations in Christ or if they are merely acting like ordinary, unregenerate humans.

Verse 4: Paul highlights the divisive nature of their allegiance to different leaders. By identifying themselves with specific leaders, such as Paul or Apollos, they are demonstrating a worldly mindset. They are placing their focus on human figures rather than on Christ, who is the true foundation of their faith. This further emphasizes their immaturity and lack of understanding of the gospel message.